Bearing lubrication system

ABSTRACT

A lubrication system for a bearing has a dynamic lubricator which when rotated picks up oil from a sump and delivers it to the bearing through a combination of momentum, centrifugal force and screw action. Two embodiments of a simple stamped sheet metal lubricator are disclosed for tolerating low oil levels in the sump thereby permitting a tilted orientation of the bearing housing and longer periods of time between oil replenishment. Both of the lubricators accommodate a significantly offset access to the oil sump.

United States Patent 1191 Raby [ Mar. 12, 1974 BEARING LUBRICATIONSYSTEM [75] Inventor: Virgil W. Raby, Dayton, Ohio [73] Assignee:General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: June 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.1 261,083

52 US. (:1. 184/11 A, 308/127 [51] Int. Cl. F16n 7/16 [58] Field ofSearch 184/6.12, 8, 11 A, 11 R, 184/13 R, 63; 308/127, 128

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,635,311 1/1972 Kaufman 18411 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,185,279 H1965 Germany 184/1113,642 l/1897 Switzerland 308/127 521,833 3/1921 France 551.800 1/1958Canada 308/127 Primary ExaminerManuel A. Antonakas Attorney, Agent, orFirmF. J. Fodale [5 7] ABSTRACT A lubrication system for a bearing has adynamic lubricator which when rotated picks up oil from a sump anddelivers it to the bearing through a combination of momentum,centrifugal force and screw action. Two embodiments of a simple stampedsheet metal lubricator are disclosed for tolerating low 011 levels inthe sump thereby permitting a tilted orientation of the bearing housingand longer periods of time between oil replenishment. Both of thelubricators accommodate a significantly offset access to the oil sump.

I 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures the trailing edges and are flung therefromcontinuously as the lubricator 44 is rotated.

It should also be noted that since my system tolerates lower oil levelsin the sump it also permits a tilted orientation of the bearing journalbox with a slightly increased quantity' of oil in the sump. 1

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, Sand 6, there is shown a modifiedlubricator 144 in the bearing lubrication system in accordance with myinvention. Except for the modified dynamic lubricator 144, the parts areidentical to those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are are identified bythe same numerals.

The modified dynamic lubricator 144 is also a stamped sheet metal parthaving a flat main body portion 150. The troughs 152 and l54 connectedto the main body portion 150, however, are linear and diametricallyopposed, Each of the troughs are identical so that the trough 154 onlyneed be described.

The linear trough 154 is generally transversely disposed and isapproximately U-shaped in cross section opening toward the bearing 32.The inner leg of the U- shaped trough 154 is continuous with a flat web156 angled from the body 150.. The outer leg of the U-shaped troughwhich merges from the rounded bottom of the trough forms an outerperipheral wall 160 which is slightly flared. See FIGS. 4 and 6.

vious lubricator and has the added advantage of a simpler constructionin that each of the troughs is a simple gutter formed at the end of aflat web which precisely locates and orients the trough by a singleangular bend where the web joins the main body. r

in operation as the dynamic lubricator 144 is rotated, the leading edge162 on the trough 154 dips into the oil and picks up a quantity of itwhich is then moved along the trough 154 through a combination ofmomentum, centrifugal force and screw action to the trailing edge 164from whence the oil is flung off toward the bearing 32. The outerperipheral wall 160 being slightlyflared increases the effects ofcentrifugal force on the oil just before it leaves the trough 154 anddirects the oil toward the balls 70 preferably in the area where theycontact the outer race 34.

The trough 152 functions in precisely the same manner so that eachtrough picks up some quantity of oil each revolution as it dips into thesump. These small quantities then migrate toward the trailing edges onthe respective troughs and are flung therefrom continuously as thelubricator 144 is rotated.

I wish it to be understood that l do' not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a with said outer race mounted on aninternal surface of said housing,

a rotor mounted on said inner race, and

a unitary sheet metal lubricator disposed in said housing comprising aflat radial bodysecured to said rotor in juxtaposition to saidantifriction hearing, and a spiral shaped trough connected to said flatradial body byan open frustoconical web, said spiral shaped troughhaving a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion disposedadjacent said antifriction elements, said leading edge portion beingdisposed so that it dips into said lubricant and delivers a quantitythereof to said trailing edge portion via said trough when saidlubricator is rotated and said trailing edge portion being flaredo'utwardly, circumferentially and radially so that it forms a throat insaid trough immediately upstream of said trailing edge portion wherebysaid trailing edge portion directs said quantity of lubricant onto saidantifriction elements with an increased centrifugal force.

2. A hearing lubrication system as defined in claim 1 wherein saidlubricator has a plurality of troughs corresponding to said spiralshaped trough, said troughs being equally circumferentially spaced andseparately connected to said flat'radial body by discrete openfrustoconical webs, and wherein said leading edge portion in each ofsaid troughs is'axially spaced from said trailing edge portion on each'of said troughs by an equal amount.

. 3. A bearing lubrication system comprising a housing having a sumparea in the internal bottom portion thereof,

an antifriction bearing comprising an inner race, an

outer race and aninterposed complement of antifriction elementsvertically disposed in said housing with said outer race mounted on aninternal surface of said housing, a v

a rotormountcd on said inner race, and

a unitary sheet metal lubricator disposed in said housing and secured tosaid rotor in juxtaposition to said antifriction bearing, saidlubricator having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, generallylinear troughs, each of said troughs having a leading edge and atrailing edge spaced axially from and radially'inward'of said leadingedge and disposed adjacent said antifriction elements, said leading edgebeing disposed so that when said sump area is filled with lubricant to aminimum acceptable level and said dynamic lubricator is rotated, saidleading edge dips below said level whereby lubricant is picked atsaidleading edge and delivered to said antifriction elements from saidtrailing edge via said trough.

4. A bearing lubrication system comprising a housing having a sump areain the internal bottom portion thereof,

an antifriction bearing comprising an inner race, an

outer race and aninterposed complement of antifriction elementsvertically disposed in said housing with said outer race mounted on aninternal surface of said housing,

a rotor mounted on said inner race, and

a unitary sheet metal lubricator disposed in said housing having a flatradial body secured to said rotor in juxtaposition to said antifrictionbearing and a generally linear trough connected to said BEARINGLUBRICATION SYSTEM My invention relates generally to a bearinglubrication system and more particularly to a bearing lubrication systemof the oil bath type wherein oil is picked up from a' sump and splashedonto the bearing when it is operating.

An object of my invention is to provide a bearing lubrication system ofthe oil bath type which has a minimum acceptable oil level for the sumpwhich is lower than those heretofore required.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bearing lubricationsystem of the oil bath type which uses a simple stamped sheet metaldynamic lubricator for adequately lubricating from a sump located belowthe bearing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bearing lubricationsystem of the oil bath type which accommodates an access to a sump whichis significantly offset from the bearing.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a bearing lubricationsystem of the oil bath type which accommodates a tilted orientation ofthe bearing hous- Yet another object of my invention is to provide abearing lubrication system for lifting and feeding lubricant to ahearing from a low sump area through momentum and centrifugal force.

Yet a further object of my invention is to provide a bearing lubricationsystem for lifting and feeding lubricant to a bearing from a low offsetsump area through momentum, centrifugal force and screw action- Otherobjects and features of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art as the disclosure is made in the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated inthe accompanying sheets of drawing in which:

FIG. I is an elevation view of a bearing journal box having a bearinglubrication system in accordance with my invention. In FIG. 1, the endcap of the bearing journal box has been removed to better illustrate thedynamic bearing lubricator used in the lubrication system.

FIG. 2 is a section taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. I. butshows the end cap in place.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a modified dynamiclubricator for use in a bearing lubrication system in accordance with myinvention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 butshows the end cap removed in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG, 5.

- Referring now to'the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 2, abearing journal box 10 is disposed in the bore of a support 14. Thejournal box 10 comprisesan end cap 18 having a circumferential L-shapedflange 20 piloted on an interior surface 22 of a housing 16. The end cap18 is secured to the housing 16 by bolts 24 with the juncture betweenthe housing 16 and the flange 20 sealed by a gasket 26. Bolts 28 in turnsecure the end cap 18 to the support 14.

The journal box 10 receives the end of a rotor 12 through a centralopening defined by an inturned axial flange 30 in the end wall of thehousing 16. The end of the rotor 12 is journalled by a ball bearing 32which has its outer race 38 mounted on the inner surface 22 of thehousing 16 and its inner race 34 seated on the reduced end portion 36 ofthe rotor 12 disposed within the journal box 10. An angled metal ring 40sandwiched between the inner race 34 and the shoulder formed by thereduced diameter portion 36 of the rotor 12 cooperates with a radial lip42 on the flange 30 forming a labyrinth seal adjacent the housingopening.

A dynamic lubricator 44 is juxtaposed on the opposite side of inner race34 and secured to the rotor 12 by bolts 46 extending through alignedapertures in an end plate 48 and the lubricator 44 and threadablyreceived in the end of the rotor 12. I

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, thedynamic lubricator 44 is a stampedsheet metal part having'a flat main body portion 50 and two generallyspiral troughs 52 and 54 connected to the main body portion 50 by a web56. Each of the troughs extend approximately 180 circumferentially andare transverse to the rotor 12.

The trough 54 is canted as seen in FIG. 2 and in-- eludes a generallyradial wall 58 connected to the web 56 and an outer peripheral wall 60at the end of the radial wall 58 which turns back toward the bearing 32.The leading edge 62 of the trough 54 relative to the direction ofrotation of the dynamic lubricator as indicated by the arrow 66 is at agreater radial distance from the center of the rotor 12 than thetrailing edge 64. The trailing edge portion 68 of the trough S4preferably flares slightly outwardly both circumferentially andradially. The trough 52 is identical to the trough The bottom area ofthe journal box 10 provides an oil sump. My lubrication system allows alower minimum acceptable oil level in the sump because the lubricator 44is able to pick up oil at a point which is at a greater radial distancethan the point at which it is distributed to the bearing. FIG. 2 showsthe sump area filled with oil at approximately the minimum acceptablelevelv where it is seen that the level is displaced further from theaxis of the rotor 12 than is the contact area of the balls with theouter race which is the maximum radius at which the oil can bedistributed to the bearing for effective lubrication. Another advantageof my lubrication system is that it allows pick-up of the oil from a location which is significantly offset from the bearing 32 as for instancebecause of intervening structure such as the piloting flange 20.

In operation as the dynamic lubricator 44 is rotated, the leading edge62 on the trough 54 (which is spaced axially from the bearing 32 and ata greater radial distance than the contact area of the balls 70 with theouter race 38) dips into'the oil and picks up a quantity of it. Thequantity of oil which is picked up is then moved along the trough 54through a combination of momentum, centrifugal force and screw action tothe trailing edge 64 from whence the oil is flung off toward the bearing32. The trailing edge portion 68 is preferably flared circumferentiallyand radially to increase the effects of centrifugal force on the oil anddirect its path of travel from the trailing edge 64 so that the oilreaches the balls 70 preferably in the area where they contact the outerrace 34.

It is to be understood that the trough 52 functions in precisely thesame manner and that each trough picks up some quantity of oil eachrevolution as it dips into the sump. These small quantities then migratetoward 5. A bearing lubrication system as defined in claim 4 I whereinsaid lubricator has a plurality of troughs corresponding to saidgenerally linear trough, said troughs being equally circumferentiallyspaced and separately connected to said flat radial body by discreteflat triangularly shaped webs, and wherein said leading edge portion ineach of said troughs is axially spaced from said trailing edge portionon each of said troughs by an equal amount.

1. A bearing lubrication system comprising a housing having a sump areain the internal bottom portion thereof filled with lubricant to aminimum acceptable level, an antifriction bearing comprising an innerrace, an outer race and an interposed complement of antifrictionelements vertically disposed in said housing with said outer racemounted on an internal surface of said housing, a rotor mounted on saidinner race, and a unitary sheet metal lubricator disposed in saidhousing comprising a flat radial body secured to said rotor injuxtaposition to said antifriction bearing, and a spiral shaped troughconnected to said flat radial body by an open frustoconical web, saidspiral shaped trough having a leading edge portion and a trailing edgeportion disposed adjacent said antifriction elements, said leading edgeportion being disposed so that it dips into said lubricant and deliversa quantity thereof to said trailing edge portion via said trough whensaid lubricator is rotated and said trailing edge portion being flaredoutwardly, circumferentially and radially so that it forms a throat insaid trough immediately upstream of said trailing edge portion wherebysaid trailing edge portion directs said quantity of lubricant onto saidantifriction elements with an increased centrifugal force.
 2. A bearInglubrication system as defined in claim 1 wherein said lubricator has aplurality of troughs corresponding to said spiral shaped trough, saidtroughs being equally circumferentially spaced and separately connectedto said flat radial body by discrete open frustoconical webs, andwherein said leading edge portion in each of said troughs is axiallyspaced from said trailing edge portion on each of said troughs by anequal amount.
 3. A bearing lubrication system comprising a housinghaving a sump area in the internal bottom portion thereof, anantifriction bearing comprising an inner race, an outer race and aninterposed complement of antifriction elements vertically disposed insaid housing with said outer race mounted on an internal surface of saidhousing, a rotor mounted on said inner race, and a unitary sheet metallubricator disposed in said housing and secured to said rotor injuxtaposition to said antifriction bearing, said lubricator having aplurality of circumferentially spaced, generally linear troughs, each ofsaid troughs having a leading edge and a trailing edge spaced axiallyfrom and radially inward of said leading edge and disposed adjacent saidantifriction elements, said leading edge being disposed so that whensaid sump area is filled with lubricant to a minimum acceptable leveland said dynamic lubricator is rotated, said leading edge dips belowsaid level whereby lubricant is picked at said leading edge anddelivered to said antifriction elements from said trailing edge via saidtrough.
 4. A bearing lubrication system comprising a housing having asump area in the internal bottom portion thereof, an antifrictionbearing comprising an inner race, an outer race and an interposedcomplement of antifriction elements vertically disposed in said housingwith said outer race mounted on an internal surface of said housing, arotor mounted on said inner race, and a unitary sheet metal lubricatordisposed in said housing having a flat radial body secured to said rotorin juxtaposition to said antifriction bearing and a generally lineartrough connected to said body by a flat triangularly shaped web, saidtrough having a leading edge and a trailing edge spaced axially from andradially inward of said leading edge and disposed adjacent saidantifriction elements, said leading edge being disposed so that whensaid sump area is filled with lubricant to a minimum acceptable leveland said dynamic lubricator is rotated, said leading edge dips belowsaid level whereby lubricant is picked at said leading edge anddelivered to said antifriction elements from said trailing edge via saidtrough.
 5. A bearing lubrication system as defined in claim 4 whereinsaid lubricator has a plurality of troughs corresponding to saidgenerally linear trough, said troughs being equally circumferentiallyspaced and separately connected to said flat radial body by discreteflat triangularly shaped webs, and wherein said leading edge portion ineach of said troughs is axially spaced from said trailing edge portionon each of said troughs by an equal amount.